6 Best Dog Friendly Hikes Near San Jose, CA

Pack your water, snacks, and hiking shoes, leash up your best four-footed friend, and get on the path to adventure. We’ve got some great places picked out for you to do some hiking with your dog in the south bay area around San Jose.

Home to nesting owls, old mineral quarries, and 300 year old oak trees, this 60 acre urban park has a range of paths from flat and level to mildly challenging, so it’s a great choice for older, shorter, or just plain lazy dogs. There’s an off leash dog park right nearby for a nice social warmup or cool-down.

Almaden Quicksilver park hosts over 24 miles of hiking trails and hundreds of feet of elevation to test your endurance. Much of the area was once dedicated to Mercury mining, so don’t eat the fish in the reservoir and stick to marked paths. Here’s a park map to get you started.

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Alum Rock Park, once known as “Little Yosemite,” still contains a few of the over 20 active mineral springs for which it was once famous. The park boasts amazing views, wildlife, and 13 miles of trails to enjoy with your dog. Check the trail report for closures and updates.

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14.7 miles of trails in nearby Saratoga range from mild to wild. There’s a few different trailheads with their own parking, so consult a map before deciding where to start your adventure. This open space was a family ranch until the 1980s, so keep an eye out for interesting historical features.

This 10-mile urban trail follows the Los Gatos Creek from Los Gatos to San Jose. The path is partially paved, part retired railroad bed, and part gravel path. This busy thoroughfare is popular with bicyclists, strollers, and joggers as it wends its way through urban landscapes and parks.

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The Sunol wilderness may be a little bit further out of town, but it has so much to offer. In addition to hiking and biking, backcountry camping, backpacking, and rock climbing are available. Trails range from nice and easy to major multi-day excursions, so be sure and check your options ahead of time.